


The Shining Shepard

by Charming_Quill



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-07
Updated: 2016-05-25
Packaged: 2018-04-19 11:57:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 10,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4745462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Charming_Quill/pseuds/Charming_Quill
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In an alternate universe, Layla Shepard takes command of the Normandy against a raid of Blue Suns. Forced to land on Tuchanka, she must make a deal with the clan leader in order to survive the attack. Will she succeed?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Normandy Down

“Ho! Remember the time Jenkins and Kaidan got into that beer drinking contest.” Dr. Chakwas chuckled. She was an older woman, with short silvery hair and warm sapphire eyes. They always seemed to sparkle whenever her lips curled into a smile. 

Shaking my head, I giggled. I had actually come down here to ask about medical supplies, but Chakwas never failed to bring back fond memories. The stories often proved a welcome distraction. Especially since commanding the Normandy lately had become stressful.

Leaning forward, I rested my hands on my knees. “Was that the same night they started a bar fight or when Jenkins convinced Kaidan to use his biotics?”

“Both!”

We both shared a brief laughing fit, slapping our knees. Our faces turned hot and red. It took a few moments for us to recompose ourselves. Chakwas sighed, and stared off into the far off distance. “Oh, Layla. Sometimes I really miss him.”

I bowed my head. A few tears dripped down my eyelashes. My heart ached with familiar pain that burned in my chest. “We all do.” I placed a hand on her wrist. “Jenkins was a good man. He didn’t deserve to die like that.”

Sitting in the silence, I thought back to his death. Flashes of nightmarish images bubbled back up to the surface. Waking from deep sleep to a piercing scream. The thresher maw popping out of the ground. Its body thrashing about, crushing Alliance soldiers beneath its massive frame. Tentacles grabbing hold and dragging good men to their death. Men like Jenkins.

It all came flooding back, and I immediately felt like I was drowning. Not in just the misery, but the mournful cries of dead souls. Their hands seemed to cling to me, dragging me deeper into myself: into that cold, black pit of despair always lurking just beneath the surface.

I shivered. 

Chakwas buried her face in the palms of her hands. “I shouldn’t think so much about it.” She whispered. “But I can’t help it.”

Just then, I felt a jolt, and grabbed ahold of the chair. It was hard enough to knock me from my trance. What was that? I wondered. Chakwas seemed to share in my confusion. “Well, I don’t know what that was, but it certainly did not sound good.” She nodded toward me. “You’d better go check this out.”

Agreeing with her, I rushed out of the medical bay. All around me, the signs were becoming clearer. Vibrations shook the haul of the spaceship. Boxes of medical supplies toppled to the floor. An earsplitting, fiery explosion erupted from the sputtering engines. It all pointed to a surprise mercenary attack.

Lights began to flicker. We were losing power. That fact seemed to renew my strength legs, and I ran at a faster pace. Fellow Alliance soldiers leapt out of my way, or scurried about trying to do their best to salvage the situation. I spotted Kaidan out of the corner of my eye. He was shuffling people around, ordering them to secure any lose objects.

Our eyes met for a fleeting second. The message was clear: whatever was happening wasn’t good. Serious danger was looming over us. I quickly tore away after giving him a slight nod, a gesture telling him to keep it up. He turned away, and directed Pressly to calm a hysterical man down.

My heart raced as I entered the bridge. Through the windows, I spotted two dark blue ships surging at us. Their cannons were firing right at us. I clung to the seat which caught Joker’s attention.

“Shepard!” Joker called as he glanced behind. He was wildly mashing buttons, tossing the Normandy about into rapid, sharp turns. An orange glow enveloped him. Each of the screens was flashing warnings. “We’re being attacked by the Blue Suns!”

“Figures,” I groaned. A part of me wanted to inquire if this was the same bastards who had been trailing us the whole week, but there were more important things to worry about. “How bad’s the damage? Can we still fly?”

“I don’t think we’ll be able to leave them in the dust this time, Commander. More like we’re going to be dust if we don’t move pretty soon!” He veered the ship out of the way of an oncoming particle beam. “Gotta come up with something fast or else we’re toast.”

My mind wildly raced with options. Unfortunately, our situation did not give us a whole lot to work with. There wasn’t much of a choice except to prepare for emergency landing on the planet closet to us. 

Switching on the intercom, I addressed the crew. “This is Commander Shepard speaking. We’re under attack by the Blue Suns, and the Normandy’s badly damaged. Afraid we have no choice, but to bring her down on Tuchanka. Prepare for emergency landing! Repeat: prepare for emergency landing!”

Joker quickly strapped himself into his leather chair. I climbed into the copilot seat, and did the same. A mixture of emotions gripped my mind. Would we survive? There was no way to know.

“You sure about this?” 

Staring at the young piolet, I sighed. “Don’t have much of a choice, do we?”

“You’re right about that.” He muttered while throwing the engines into reverse. One press of a button sent us careening to the right. The rustic red planet came into full view. Joker set us on course and cursed at the limping ship. He finally managed to fly into Tuchanka’s cloudy atmosphere. 

My stomach dropped as we plummeted to the ground. I silently prayed we would stick the landing without a hitch. Of course, there was the fear that the Blue Suns were crazy enough to follow. We would be easy prey if they were.

We drew nearer to impact. Knots formed in my throat. I squeezed my eyes shut, breathing deeply in and out. We will make it! I assured myself. Then, there was a loud noise, and I slipped into unconsciousness.


	2. Aftermath

For what felt like hours, I floated in darkness. Totally detached from everything. Completely untethered. Almost as if I was being sucked out of my body to the afterlife. But then, I heard a ringing in my ears. I could feel my fingers twitch, and my chest rising and falling. Somewhere in the far off distance, there was a loud banging.

My eyelids fluttered open. The accident had left me slumped forward. The leather seatbelt dug into my neck, leaving a gigantic bruise. I strained to lift my neck. Each little movement caused me to cringe in pain. Slowly as possible, I unhooked my seat belt, pulled myself onto my feet. 

That’s a good sign. I thought as I assessed the damage. A few scratches and bumps, but nothing serious. 

“Commander!” Kaidan shouted while I flexed my arms and legs. “You okay?”

“A little stiff, but I’m fine.” I replied. “How’s everyone else? Did we lose anyone?”

There was a long pause. I held my breath, hoping the answer was no. If I couldn’t forgive myself for Akuze, then what would happen if I lost any more of my crewmates? 

“No!”

I sighed in relief. “Okay.”

It was then a realization hit me. I focused my attention on Joker who was also slumped forward. His forehead was pressed against the screen. His jaw hung slightly open like he was taking a nap. Rushing over, I checked his pulse. From what I could tell, his heart beat felt fine. That was a comforting fact. 

“Joker?” I shook his shoulder. “Wake up.”

Moaning, the young piolet came too. He rubbed his forehead, and shot me a confused glance. “Did we make it?” He asked, grabbing ahold of my wrist.

“We did, Joker,” I patted him on the back while helping him on his feet. “Feel okay?”

“Yep. Well, as okay as I’ll ever be after crashing into a planet.”

We shared a couple of nervous chuckles before Kaidan came bounding into the room. “Um…Commander?” He smoothed out his jet black hair. “I think someone’s trying to smash their way into the ship.”

I tensed up. My jaw clenched, I had no doubt it was the Blue Suns coming to finish the job. A plan started to formulate in my mind. Making a snap decision, I pulled my pistol which was strapped to my back. “Blockade the door. We’ll mow these bastards down before they can storm the Normandy!”

Agreeing, Kaidan held up his assault rifle, and straightened out his back. His brown eyes fogged over with rage. Joker was slightly less than enthusiastic. He opted to stay behind and let the rest of the crew know what was going on. 

We cautiously approached the door with our guns drawn. Bang! Bang! Bang! Something pounded against the metal, making large dents. It all didn’t seem to add up to Batarians and Turians. They certainly did not have the strength to pull this off. What could they possibly be using to bring it down?

Kaidan and I braced ourselves as the door came crashing to the floor. Two enormous figures came storming into the ship. They were not Batarians or Turians. Rather, they were the native species to Tuchanka: Krogans. And judging by their massive humps and jagged scars, they were older and experienced soldiers. 

I slightly relaxed a bit. Sure, we were not completely out of the woods yet. Krogans were by no means peaceful allies, but it was a better alternative than the Blue Suns. Lowering my weapon, I threw up one of my hands. “Sorry about crashing into your planet. We were being chased and out ship was badly damaged, and…”

“The Urdnot clan leader wants to speak with you!” One of the Krogans barked in reply. Neither of them seemed too concerned about their planet, or our crew members. 

I could tell Kaidan was fuming. Snagging his elbow, I shook my head. I was not about to piss them off. Stepping forward, I nodded. “I’ll go.”

“But, Commander!” Kaidan shouted. “You don’t know what the leader will do. He might be even worse than the Blue Suns.”

Whirling around, I glared at my Lieutenant. “Look, seeing how I want to keep my crew safe and give us time to repair the Normandy, I don’t see how we have much of a choice.” With that, I turned on my heels and walked out into the wasteland with the two Krogan escorts.


	3. Clan Urdnot

Tuchanka was not much to look at. There were crumpled ruins of an ancient city surrounded by mounds of dirt and sand. We walked slowly along the road, battling against intense winds. I had to shield my eyes, and cover my mouth to keep from choking.

My escorts remained stoic. Chins raised and shotguns cocked, they appeared ready for a confrontation. Their red eyes kept glancing toward me. I had no doubt that they were silently assessing my fighting skills and weak points. In case I got out of line.

I marched along beside them. Occasionally, I glanced back, unable to stifle my worries about my crew. Would they be alright? Did anyone sustain any serious injuries? Could the engineers get the ship up and running? Would both Kaidan and Jacob play nice with the other Krogan? I was so consumed by my thoughts I had stopped paying attention to where we were going.

My questions were interrupted by a loud grunt. “Stand still!” One of the Krogan commanded. For extra emphasis, he pressed the barrel of his gun into my shoulder. “Or I blast your arm off!”

I halted immediately. In front of me was a docking door. The other Krogan strolled up to the metal and banged on it. “This is Urdnot Grog and Bavik! We come with the Alliance Commander of the Normandy! Allow us passage!”

“Proceed,” someone bellowed after few minutes of hesitation. The door slowly opened, and Bavik pushed me forward. A crowd of male Krogans glared down at us when we entered. Judging by their snarls, I was definitely not welcomed.

After climbing over piles of rubble and snaking through hidden hallways, we finally reached our destination. The clan leader was perched atop a seat of fallen stones. Basking in the faint sunlight, he wore a slight smirk on his face. He was an impressive size wearing thick, heavy armor that covered his entire body. Three deep, gaping scars stretched across his face. His crimson eyes studied me as I approached.

Grog nodded, and shoved me forward. “Speak your name and rank.” He growled.

Linking my arms behind my back, I made a point to stand a bit taller. I remembered from my schooling that krogans were not kind to those they considered tiny or meek. My height-a wopping five foot three-was a challenge I had to overcome to gain any sort of respect. Clearing my throat, I obeyed Grog’s orders. 

“I am Alliance Commander Layla Shepard of the SR-1 Normandy.” I paused. Until the clan leader spoke, I was hesitant to say more. I had to suppress it all, keeping my lips closed and my fists tight.

The clan leader responded, “And I am Urdnot Wrex: leader of the Urdnot clan, fierce slayer of Threser Maws, and Krogan Battlemaster.” Leaning forward, he rested his elbows on his legs. His eyes narrowed into a suspicious scowl. “What business do you have on Tuchanka?”

“Well…business isn’t exactly the right word. It’s more like an unfortunate circumstance.” Sucking in a deep breath, I launched into an explanation. “See, we were attacked by the Blue Suns, and crash landed here on Tuchanka because it was the closest planet. All we really want is some time to assess the damage to our ships and take care of our injuries. We might need some spare parts too, if you got any.”

Wrex listened intently to my words. He appeared to be pondering my tiny requests. From what I could tell, he was not too happy with any of them. I kept babbling on. Perhaps the more I talked, the more I could convince him helping us was in his best interests. Scratching his chin, he kept silent until I was finished. 

“You argument is convincing,” Wrex grumbled, sitting up straighter and restlessly flexing his shoulders. “Very well. We will help your crew, but only under one condition.”  
Wearily, I bit my lip. What was this one mysterious stipulation? I gulped. “What exactly do you guys want from us?”

“You must agree to be my breeding slave.”

My jaw hung opened. I was stunned at his brazen demand. Blinking, I found I could not respond at all. I mean, what was there to say? Yes, I’ll gladly sacrifice the rest of my life to be your breeding slave in order to help out my crew. Even in my head it sounded absurd. 

It was about this point where all the krogans burst out laughing. Throwing their heads back, they howled in amusement. Wrex’s straight face melted into a smile. Chuckling a bit, he shook his head. “Ah, I’m just messing with you.”

Relief washed over me. I eagerly perked up, and smiled. “Does this mean you’ll help us?”

“Wreav!” Wrex shouted, gesturing at me. A grey scaled krogan wearing blue armor stepped forward to face his leader. He kneeled, awaiting Wrex’s orders. “Gather up some supplies, and send for another escort team. Bring the humans back here. I’ll prepare us for battle.”

“Yes, brother.” Standing up, Wreav quickly exited the room, taking with him a handful of soldiers he had singled out to join him.

“Is this a wise move, Wrex?” Someone barked. 

Glowering with anger, Wrex seethed as he gritted his teeth. “Okeer!” His hollers echoed throughout the room. Pointing to the back of the crowd, he tightly gripped his shotgun. “You dare challenge my decision?”

Okeer stomped past me, and ascended the stairs. He faced Wrex head on: even going so far as to deliver a staggering blow to Wrex’s head with his own forehead. “You are a fool to help the humans! Warlords of the past are laughing in their graves at your pathetic weakness.” Okeer began pacing back and forth. Hands waving wildly, he continued berating the clan leader. “What would Jarrod think of you giving into this groveling…?”

That must have struck a nerve. Wrex appeared to snap. Jumping up from his seat, he smashed his hardened crest against Okeer’s head. Immediately, the krogan crumpled to the floor before staggering back onto his feet. Wrex aimed his shotgun, giving him a threatening glare. “Do not bring my father into this!”

“Why shouldn’t I? At least under his rule, we krogan were strong, and hungry for war! He spoke of rebellion. We were to conquer the entire galaxy under his reign. While you insist that we try to rekindle our sense of honor and make new allies. Not only that, but your propose that we unite the clans and sacrifice our identities and traditions! Pure nonsense.”   
Okeer’s rant was starting to make me a bit uncomfortable. I shuffled my feet. My eyes darted from one escort to the other. Displaying no emotions, they merely watched with slight interest. I guess infighting for clan Urdnot is common, I thought.

“Jarrod accomplished nothing, but destruction!” Hissing, Wrex turned to his followers. “Our elders were once courageous warriors. Now, we have been reduced to rubble, fighting for resources and glorifying violence. Warlord of the past championed this. They were content with tearing our species apart. I’ll raise us back to our former glory!”

Cheers erupted from his krogan soldiers. I clapped as well, very impressed by his powerful speech. After all the nasty things I had heard about them (from Salarians in particular), it was nice to see evidence to the contrary. 

Spitting on Okeer’s foot, the clan leader shoved past him. “Now get out of my sight, Okeer! Before I have you killed.”

Okeer muttered something under his breath while walking away. Sighing, Wrex walked down the steps. He came to a stop right in front of me, and nodded his head. “Ha ha! I’ll bet you haven’t seen a krogan confrontation up close before. Exciting, isn’t it?”

“I guess it was pretty exciting.” 

My hesitant response sent him into a roaring fit of laughter. He slapped my back. Flashing a crocked smile, he raised an eyebrow. “I knew there was a reason I liked you.” Wrex, with a wave of his hand, dismissed Grog and Bavik. “I will escort Shepard from now on. You two will alert the chief to scout for Blue Sun warriors.”

Without reluctance, they left to carry out their orders. Wrex cleared his throat, and motioned to a sloping metal ramp. “Follow me.”

Clenching my fingers, I said okay, and strolled behind him. I was still nervous for some reason. Like something ominous was looming over us about to strike. Sucking in a deep breath, I fell in step and silently wondered where Wrex was leading me.


	4. Bonding

“So…what brought you to this corner of the galaxy?”

Wrex’s question broke my trance. I took a moment to regain my bearings. After scaling the ramp, we had crossed an overhanging bridge to a lofty room. It consisted of a makeshift bed made of blankets, a steel table coated in blood, shelves upon shelves of explosive weapons, and a set of large monitors. He had plopped into another stone chair, and was now waiting for me to offer up an answer.

Shrugging, I crossed my arms over my chest. “Well, the Alliance assigned us to monitor this sector…”

“Ah!” Propping his feet on the table, Wrex snorted. “To spy on us, no doubt.”

“Not at all!” I insisted, shifting my feet. Despite his casual demeanor; the krogan’s eyes almost never glanced away. My hands fidgeted. “It’s got more to do with a sudden increase in mercenaries attacks in the area. Just want to try and put a lid on this thing before it really spirals out of control.”

“And what of you, Shepard? What’s your story?”

That next question threw me off guard. “Me?” I asked in confusion. “Why do you want to know?”

Tapping his armrest, Wrex cocked his head. He was, no doubt, contemplating the answer. It made me speculate whether or not he had asked out of impulse. Wrinkling his nose, he stuck out his chin. “Something about you intrigues me, Shepard…”

“Please, call me Layla,” I corrected him. Very few people called me by my first name. I supposed it was because my last name was so poetic. Still, it was nice to hear someone say it out loud every once in a while.

“All right, Layla. I want to know more about you because it’s not often we get humans on our planet. You impressed me with the way you carry yourself. That and…” He touched his eyelid. “I really want to know how you got that scar.”

My fists tightened at the mention of my scar. It was jagged, and cut across my eye. Ran pretty deep in some places. Sometimes, when I woke up, it throbbed and blood would occasionally seep out. Sucking in a deep breath, I worked up the courage to speak again.

“Okay. Um…may I?” I could not go another second standing up, so I pointed to the bed. After he gave me permission, I settled onto the blankets. They felt like wool, and were surprisingly soft. Resting my arms on my knees, I started the story. “Let’s see. I’m an orphan from Earth, joined the Alliance when I was sixteen, and…on my first mission there was an…incident involving a Thresher Maw that I don’t like to talk about.

“As for the scar, it’s quite a story. Got captured by some anti-Alliance group of humans and turians. They stuck me deep in their base, and tried to torture important information about bases and other stuff out of me. They threatened to dig my eye out with a knife. Ended up giving me this scar instead.

“Luckily, some of my friends came to save me. Of course, they kinda failed and got themselves captured too. I ended up having to fight our way through a bunch of them after escaping. Took a while to get back to my ship. Yeah…that was a weird day.”

“Sounds more like a fun day to me. Especially fighting a thresher maw.” Cocking his head, he snorted. “I’d never have guessed you’d be a slayer of a thresher maw.”

I became uncomfortable, stifling the bad memories as far down as I could. Deciding to change the conversation, I politely bowed. “I never did get a chance to thank you for your hospitality. You didn’t have to go out of your way to help us out. I appreciate it.”

“No need to get all mushy about it.” Sniffing, Wrex started to pick at something in his teeth. We both sat there in silence for a minute. Not really sure what there was to talk about. I supposed I could ask him questions about his life. No. I decided against it. Would be too awkward, and only invite him to probe me further.

Suddenly, a playful varren came bounding in. The animal barreled past me, and started licking Wrex’s fingers. He fondly patted him on the head, scratching behind the ears. Panting happily, it took a moment before it acknowledged me. He cautiously approached me, sniffing the hand I tentatively offered.

“I thought Krogans either ate, or bred varren to fight.” Carefully, I gently stroked the top of his head. “Not keep them as pets.”

“Well, Dagg here is special. Followed me home from a hunt one day, and I couldn’t get him to go away. So, I kept him.” Whistling, Wrex called the varren back to him. It eagerly leapt into his lap, and curled up. “I tried toughening him up, but nothing seems to work. He’s soft, like you humans.”

Perking up his head, the varren became anxious. He started howling, and barring his teeth, and dug his nails into Wrex’s armor. He was going berserk.

“Yeah…he seems like the quiet type.” I rolled my eyes.

Wrex, on the other hand, appeared very surprised and alert. “He’s never done this before.” His tone of voice was filled with worry. I was about to suggest that he was probably hungry when someone interrupted me.


	5. Overprotective

“Layla!” A familiar voice shouted. Glancing up, I cringed. Jacob stood in the doorway with his arms crossed. Grog, with an extremely angry look upon his face, loomed behind him. Ready to strike if the unpredictable human did anything rash, no doubt.

I stood up, shooting him an angry glare. “Yes, Jacob?” I asked through gritted teeth.

“What the hell were you thinking?” He shouted, gesturing to Wrex.

Why the hell do you care, I wanted to ask. Biting back my question, I sucked in a deep breath to calm myself. Jacob, as stubborn as he was, only acted like this if he was worried. It was up to me to quell his fears. “I was thinking that I’ll avoid a conflict by meeting with the leader of clan Urdnot.”

Leaning over, Wrex whispered. “Who is this guy? Seems kinda uptight.”

“His name is Jacob,” I answered. “And Jacob, this is Urdnot Wrex. He’s agreed to help us in fending off the Blue Suns.”

“Pssh! A krogan helping us? I’d sooner believe batarians could fly!” He spat. His lips curled into a disgusted scowl.

“Um…I don’t really think being krogan matters. Their helping us, and as for the meeting, I understand. I’m willing to adhere to the rules of this planet. We crash landed in their territory. It’s only fitting that they ask…”

Balling his fists, Jacob’s eyes went dark. I could see the faint blue glow of his biotic power flaring up. His jaw was clenched so tight I thought he would break his teeth. “Dammit, Shepard! This whole thing could’ve been a set up. You could’ve been captured. Or worse, died!”

My blood boiled. Being treated like a child grated on my nerves. Patience, I reminded myself. He was still new to this game of diplomacy and the delicate balancing act of galactic peace the Alliance championed. Now was the time to make a point, not lose my temper. So, as calmly as I could muster, I said, “I had no reason to believe the krogan would be a threat. They merely asked if I would meet with their clan leader. I’m sure clan Urdnot wants to avoid galactic conflict with the Alliance.”

“You’re right! There’s absolutely no reason for a bunch of blood thirsty, barbaric warmongers to take out a high ranking Alliance Commander,” shaking his head, he crossed his arms. “That’s the problem with you, Shep. You’re too damn trusting…”

“That is no way to talk to your superior!” Wrex’s sudden interjection startled me. I had not expected him to take a stand in this argument. But, stand he did, and he towered over Jacob like a skyscraper. Glancing at me, he snorted. “If this were one of my warriors, I’d have shot him by now.”

“Just go ahead and try it!”

“Don’t test me, pyjack!”

“See?” Jacob pointed an accusing finger at Wrex. “This is the reason Krogan have been denied a seat on the Guild!”

“Because of pyjacks like you treating us like we’re worthless! The Guild seems to think we’re only good for war. We have scientist! We have culture! We have a proud history!”

“Ha! That’s a joke. A Krogan could never be a scientist…”

They continued hurling their hateful comments. It was like watching two kids fighting on a playground. I finally could not take it anymore. “Enough!” I shouted.

Jacob was stunned.

Wrex threw his head back and laughed, “I see now why she’s a commander. That’s quite the pair of lungs you got.”

Ignoring Wrex’s comment, I started berating Jacob. “Wrex is correct. I am your commander, and deserved to be treated as such! I took an oath when I joined the Alliance to protect and serve the galaxy. That includes everyone currently inhabiting it. And, despite what you may think, I’m perfectly capable of assessing the situation and drawing my own conclusions. If you have a problem with the way I conduct myself, or run the Normandy, then feel free to jump ship.” Turning back to Wrex, I added, “Have any of your scouts returned with news?”

“None that I know of.”

“Then we should…”

“Commander?” Kaiden’s voice rang out from my omni-tool.

I sighed, frustrated with the interruption. “Yes, Kaiden. I’m here. What’s your status?”

“You okay, Shepard? You sound kinda tense.”

“I’m fine,” I hissed. “What’s going on?”

“We managed to evacuate everyone here, but not before seeing the Blue Suns ship landing. They’ll probably try to loot the Normandy, and then come after us. It won’t take them long. We probably have an hour tops.”

“Okay…” I rubbed my temple, trying in vain to get rid of my growing headache. “How many of us are able to fight?”

“About seventy five percent. The others need treatment.”

“Get with a krogan named Wreav and start prepping for a fight. I want us dealing with this before it gets out of hand. Understood?”

“Understood, ma’am.” With that, he hung up.

Wrex bashed his fists together. “Excellent!” He chuckled. “I haven’t had a good fight in weeks.”

“Jacob,” I barked. Glancing toward him, I stared directly into his eyes. “If you’re still with us, then grab a gun, and check in with Kaiden.”

He said nothing. Just nodded, turned on his heels and left.

Wrex shook his head as he plucked a shotgun from the shelf. “I don’t know why you keep him around.” He grunted. “The battlefield is no place for coddling. It’s pathetic. Especially when he questions your skills.”

“Jacob is…” I hesitated. “Someone who was there for me during a very difficult time in my life. I owe him for that. Even if it means dealing with his overprotectiveness.” My thoughts wanted to drift, but I held them in check. Focus. We had mercenaries to fight. I straightened out my back, and started walking toward the exit. “But that’s not important right now. We’ve got to stop the Suns. ”

“Whatever,” Wrex shrugged his shoulders. He quickly followed suit. “If it backfires, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”


	6. Battling the Blue Suns

There was no sound but the wind whistling in my ears. I scanned the horizon. Nothing but dust clouds and a sickly brown sky. My body was tense. Anticipation tingled in my spine.

We had assembled at the docking bay ready to defend Urdnot’s base. My crewmates, along with eager krogan, were scattered ahead. They were tucked behind anything they could find. I had chosen my spot carefully: hunkered down toward the docking door behind a sturdy piece of stone. It was as far back as possible from the front lines.

Wrex had questioned my decision. “Don’t you want to be closer to the action,” he had asked.

“You kidding,” I retorted. “This is where all the action is.”

Surprisingly enough, he chose to stick with me. Perhaps because he was still intrigued by me. Though, I was unsure why. I was pretty unremarkable. Just an engineer who rose through the ranks, and had a few close encounters, but…

Something caught my attention. I saw a flicker of bright blue armor amidst the dust. “Here they come!” I hollered. And come they did.

It was a few of them at first. Kaiden and Jacob easily picked them off. Then, suddenly, a horde of them descended upon us. They were outfitted with full body armor and strong shields. A few even had rocket launchers.

Turning to Wrex, I said, “Looks like we’ve got our work cut out for us. They’re definitely packing a punch.”

“Then we’ll just have to punch harder.” Blue energy swirled around his body. Roaring, he jumped out from cover, and unleashed a powerful warp. One of the mercenaries dropped dead. 

A hail of gunfire rained down upon us. Standing upright, exposing myself from my cover, I pulled the trigger. My gun recoiled as I emptied my thermal rounds. I dodged a flurry of bullets. They whizzed past my head, and I could feel their heat. The enemy was not as lucky. Most of my shots hit their mark.

I ducked back beneath my cover. The gun beeped, complaining of low bullets. I reloaded. Curling into a tight ball, I patiently waited. Once there was a brief reprieve, I sprang up, aimed carefully, and fired. Again, the bullets hit their target. A turian collapsed. He was carrying one of the rockets.

That gave our front line some relief. They could now move freely from cover to cover without being pinned. To my left, Wrex was having a blast. He mowed down enemies like they were made of paper. A wide grin spread across his face. His eyes were lit with fire and rage.

I, on the other hand, felt sick. The smell of blood and singed flesh left a bad taste in my mouth. Acid crawled up my throat, threatening to escape. I swallowed, and kept fighting. My adrenaline would not let me stop.

Every time I gunned another Blue Sun down, I prayed. Please God forgive me. My heart throbbed with grief. These were lost souls, snared in the trappings of destruction and greed. I tried to remind myself of that, but it did not matter. The guilt remained.

We finally took out the last batarian standing. A sense of relief washed over me. I gathered up spare thermal rounds. I was seasoned enough to know this was only the first wave of many. While bending over, I heard the roar of a shuttle’s engines, and Wrex shouting.

“Layla! Look out!”

Whipping my head around, I saw someone drop from the sky. The barrel of their assault rifle was pointing at my head. And he was not the only one. A few more landed beside him.

My mind raced. I lifted my right hand, activating my omni-tool. Glowing orange flames licked my fingers. I guided the burst toward the enemy. The fire quickly consumed him. Then, it spread to the others.

They all writhed and screamed in agony. It filled my soul with despair. One ripped off his helmet. Our eyes locked for a brief moment. They were wide and blue like the deepest ocean. I could practically see his soul escaping from them. His light was dimming.

In a flash, his skin blackened, and he disintegrated into a pile of ash.

There was no time to dawdle. A heavily armored, broad shouldered batarian walked onto the scene. Shields were protecting his chest and face. He surveyed the destruction with a frown.

Panicked, I ducked behind cover again, hoping he did not see me. My heart beat was racing.

“Who’s that?”

Turning, I saw Wrex standing next to me. “That is Sunzu,” I answered. “He’s the Blue Suns officer in charge of the ship Bavatica- the one that’s been chasing us all week and giving us hell.”

“I’ve heard of him. He’s picked off some of our ships carrying heavy weapon supplies. Lost a lot of strong Urdnot warriors to him.” Sticking out his chin, he smiled. “Today I’ll make him pay for that.”

I carefully inched toward the edge of the rock. Very slowly, I peeked over the top. Sunzu was still standing there, watching for any sort of movement. His eyes caught sight of me. Lifting his gun, he fired. The bullet nearly grazed the top of my head.

“That was close,” I muttered.

“We need to come at him with everything we’ve got!”

“Woah!” I grabbed hold of Wrex’s wrist before he could make his move. He was both surprised and enraged by my brazen gesture. Shaking my head, I continued. “If you go charging out with his shields, you’ll be dead before even scratching him.” I activated my omni-tool yet again. “Let me take care of it.”

Tense silence filled the space between us. The krogan appeared ready to protest. But then, his arm relaxed. He stood back, and nodded in agreement.

My omni-tool began spinning when I programmed the command. A voice hummed in my ear. Searching for target… Taking a deep breath, I stood. Since everyone was now firing upon him, Sunzu was dancing around the battlefield. He expertly weaved in and out of cover. From what I could tell, his shields were hardly dented.

Raising my arm, I heard the voice once more. Target found! Locking on... My arm vibrated. An electric surge of power began overloading his shields. There was a burst of purple lightning, catching Sunzu off guard. He stumbled backwards. All of his shields were drained.

“Go, Wrex!”

He charged forward. Actually was way faster than I thought he would be. In a matter of minutes, he was practically on top of Sunzu. A few blasts from the shotgun tore through his body. He soon was dead.

I finally allowed my muscles to relax. The fight was over. And we had won. That seemed astonishing to me for some reason. I leaned against the wall, breathing heavily. Yet another major battle I had escaped unscathed. It seemed far too surreal the more I thought about it. Was I just extremely lucky? Was it not my time? Or did God have something else for me in store?

Someone, with a giant hand and strong arm, slapped my back. “Ha! That was a battle for the ages! Defeating Sunzu will be a big blow to the Blue Suns. They’ll be hurting for a while. And you, Layla, I have seen few who are as skilled as you are. Good job.”

“Thank you, Wrex.”

“Come on,” he tilted his head toward the door, and flashed a grin. “Let’s go tell the whelps we’ve saved their hides.”


	7. Fling

“Listen, whelps!” Wrex cried out, standing atop his throne. The horde of krogan’s lifted up their heads, and watched their leader intently. “Sunza and the Blue Suns are defeated! No longer will they steal from our ships, or slaughter us krogan. Today, we taste victory!”

Everyone cheered loudly. “Let’s celebrate!” One of them shouted.

“Bring on the rynchol!” Wrex turned toward me, and grinned. “What do you say? Want to see how the krogan party?”

The offer was tempting, but I shook my head. “Sorry, Wrex, but I really shouldn’t. I should go check on my wounded crewmembers, and keep tabs on the Normandy, and check in with the admiral. He’ll want to know what’s going on, ask for a full report, and when we will depart.”

“Suit yourself,” he shrugged. “Let me know if you need more help knocking heads around.” Then, he sauntered down toward a fire pit they were building, ordering his clan-mates to prepare for the party. I quietly slipped out.

My footsteps echoed down the hallway. I could hear the roar of the crowd as I left. The smell of cooked varen filled my nostrils. My stomach churned. It was begging me for food, but I ignored it. If I really had to, I would just grab some snacks from the mess hall supply. For now, that was not a priority.

Suddenly, someone stepped in front of me. I stopped midstride, and glanced up. Internally cringing, I tried to force a smile. “Hello, Jacob…”

“Save it, Shep,” he rubbed his forehead, casting his gaze to the ground. “I know my place now. I won’t question you again. If that’s the way you want it.”

I was taken aback by his tone. He sounded like a pouting baby carrying a grudge. Was he still upset about earlier? “Um…okay. What’s gotten into you?”

“You mean you don’t remember!” His black eyes locked on me. “You choose to listen to the krogan leader instead of me. After all we’ve been through; you treated me like a subordinate. Someone who shouldn’t question their commander’s decisions. So, that’s how it’s going to be from now on.”

“Seriously! This again! Jacob, there’s no side to choose!” I shouted. “This isn’t a you versus him thing. I got mad because you treat me like a child. Just because we had a fling doesn’t mean you have to worry about me twenty four-seven. I can handle the consequences of my own decisions. See? Nothing to do with choosing Wrex.”

“A fling?” He seethed. “You call our time together just fling now? Nothing special?”

I cocked my head in confusion. “It was never serious, Jacob. We both agreed it wasn’t right for either of us. There was too much baggage and it was only one night…”

“We agreed it wasn’t the right time.” He moved in close. I could feel his breath on my cheek. Grabbing my wrist, he slipped his hand around mine. “I backed off because I loved you. I stuck with you because I wanted to keep you safe, I respected you, and I thought there might still be a chance. But…” He dropped his arm back to his side. “I can see that’s not the way you feel anymore.”

Tears welled in my eyes. “Jacob, I…”

“Don’t worry, Commander Shepard. I won’t abandon my assignment.” He saluted, and then walked off.

My grief melted into anger. “Whatever…” I growled. If he wanted to throw a tantrum, then fine. Who was I to stop him? I was not his baby sitter. I did not have to take his manipulation. He could leave for a new ship, and it would not bother me one bit.

Stomping down the hall, I reached the medical bay in no time. Men and women were laid out on cots. Dr. Chakwas was standing in the corner of the room. I made an effort to soften my expression before approaching her.

I place a hand on her shoulder. “How are they, Karen?”

“No one was fatally damaged.” She turned around, and smiled. “Mainly concussions and broken bones. And, I heard more good news. Kadien says the engineers are nearly done fixing the Normandy. We should be able to ship out of here by tomorrow.”

“Good. I think we’ve all had enough action for one day. Be sure to tell everyone we’re leaving tomorrow.” Turning on my heels, I started to walk off. I felt her hand tap my shoulder.

“You okay, Shepard?”

“Yes,” I lied, shrugging off her hand. “I’m fine. Thanks for asking.” With that, I left as quickly as I could. All I really wanted to be at that moment was alone.


	8. Comm-Link

“Commander Shepard. Wrex is on the intercom. Would you like me to patch him through?”

I glanced up to the ceiling and smiled. “Thanks, Joker. I’ll take the call in my cabin.”

“Gotcha.”

Kaiden raised an eyebrow as I stood from my chair. “You and Wrex have been keeping in contact a lot lately. Everything going okay?”

“Yeah,” I shrugged. “Everything is fine. Why do you ask?”

“No reason,” he went back to sipping his coffee, and munching on a bagel.

Crossing my arms, I stared at him. His lips curled into an ever so slight half smile. The mischievous kind. “What’s with the look?”

“It’s nothing, Shepard. Go take your call,” he insisted.

“Come on, Alenko. It’s obviously not nothing or else you wouldn’t have brought it up. And I know that smile. Something’s on your mind.”

Kaiden shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “Well…” He took a moment to gather his thoughts. “It just seems that you two are getting along really well. I was just surprised that he’s been calling a lot these past few months.” He blushed. “It kinda seems like you guys might have feelings for each other.”

“Really?” I snorted. “I think we’re just becoming really good friends.”

“Whatever you say, commander.” Kadien winked before returning to his coffee.

I choose to ignore his comment, and just made my way toward the elevator. It was a long ride up to my cabin. I had time to think on his words. The more I pondered them, the less crazy it seemed. Wrex was incredible. An excellent fighter with loads of snarky comments. At times, he could also be gentle, and understanding. Maybe…I do like him.

My cabin door opened. I stepped through, switched on the monitor, and smiled. Wrex was sitting in his chair with Dagg curled in his lap. Nodding, he said, “Ah, Layla! Nice to see the Alliance isn’t keeping you too busy.”

“Yeah. Things have actually gotten a bit quiet after taking out Sunzu. You were right about the Blue Suns. They’re scrambling to find a decent replacement. Other than overseeing some political missions, we haven’t seen much action these past few months.”

“Too bad. I was just about to ask if you had any good battle stories. Things have been too tame here on Tuchunka.” He grumbled.

I rolled my eyes before probing. “Well, I’ve never heard one of your stories. If you’ve got nothing better to do, I’d love to listen.”

“Hmm…I should be keeping an eye out for Wreav. He’s scouts should be back any minute…”

“Please!” My smile brightened. “Just one.”

“All right,” he cleared his throat. “One time, a warlord called a meeting on sacred ground. It was supposed to be an attempt at coming to an agreement, but I knew it was an ambush. Trouble is, you can’t exactly not accept an invitation from your father…”

I sat down, and listened to the story. On and on he went, regaling me with how he bested his father in battle. I was enthralled.

When he finished, there was a long pause. I sighed. “That was a great story. I like the part where you fought back a horde of angry krogan singlehandedly.”

“Well, I am the best at what I do.”

“God,” I leaned back in my chair, staring up at the ceiling. “I wish we had more time to talk like this. I like hearing your stories.”

“And I still want to hear about the thresher maw.” Wrex scratched his chin in thought. “There is a way we could both have time to share stories.”

I raised an eyebrow. “When?”

“How about your next shore leave? Maybe we could go somewhere for dinner. Though, you probably should pick the place. I’ll eat anything.”

Wow, I thought in stunned silence. He’s…asking me out?

“So,” he shrugged his shoulders. “You up for it?”

“Yes,” I answered. “Yes, I would love that.”

“Good. Uh! Wreav’s here. I have to deal with the whelps. Goodbye, Layla. Hope you get to see some action soon.”

The monitor went black. My face and neck and hands turned crimson red. He just asked me out on a date. And I accepted.


	9. Restaurant Catastrophe

The day of my shore leave had finally come. I had fussed all day long about what to wear and where to go. Any place fancy was immediately ruled out due to Wrex’s aversion for manners. And I was definitely not in the mood for greasy food. I settled on a quaint Italian restaurant near my hometown on Earth. Yeah, that was simple.

When I stepped off the Normandy back on Earth, I sucked in a deep breath. The air was refreshing. Transports were flying above my head and people rushed from one docking bay to the next. Standing in the midst of it all was Wrex. He still wore his sleek red armor and jagged smile.

“Layla!” He outstretched his arm and clasped my hand. “Glad we set this up. I got us a transport to take us there.” Lifting the door, he gestured inside.

I glanced back toward the ship. Wrex gently grabbed my wrist. “Your crew can handle themselves for a few hours. Come on.”

Chuckling, I said, “All right. Let’s go.”

The ride to the restaurant was quick and silent. I sat starting down at the town below. All my life I had gazed up at the stars, believing that was where my life would take me. The sense of nostalgia made my heart flutter.

We arrived, climbed out, and walked to the door. I hooked my arm around Wrex and he slung his over my shoulder. The hostess flashed us a funny glance before clearing his throat. “Welcome to Little Italy. Table for two?” he greeted.

“Yes, please.” I nodded.

Snatching up a few menus, he led us to our table. It was the farthest from the door right next to the wall of windows. Once we were situated on drinks, he took off toward the kitchen. I awkwardly brushed a strand of hair from my face. Wrex coughed. We both waited for the other to speak.

Finally, I could not stand the silence. “So…how’s life been on Tuchunka? Is everything going okay for Urdnot?”

“Well, we killed a thresher maw that was burrowed under our building. And we’ve kept pyjacks from stealing our food. But, the real problem’s been Okeer and the Blood Pack.”

I set my water down, and raised an eyebrow. “Okeer? What’s he been up to?”

“The worst kind of stuff. Making noise, and sneaking off to run some sort of experiments. No one really knows what he’s up to, since he refuses to talk about it. That means it’s something bad.” He frowned.

“You think he’ll betray you.”

“I know he will. That whelp’s had it out for me for years now.” Pointing to his face, he smirked. “Left me this present after we fought for superiority. I won, but he put up one hell of a fight.”

I sighed as she massaged the palm of her hand. “Yeah. I’m not a fan of him either. You better watch your back with that…”

All of a sudden, there was a loud blast. We both ducked behind the table. Whipping out his shotgun, Wrex fired off a few warning blasts. Everyone inside the restaurant scattered, dashing out of the building faster than I could blink. I peered over the table. Through the clouds of smoke was another krogan with pale orange skin. He began to speak.

“Urdnot Wrex!” the big one bellowed. “Your reign will soon come to an end.”

“Drek,” Wrex growled. He loaded another round into his gun. “What’s blood pack doing on Earth? Came here just to ruin my date?”

Chuckling, Drek unleashed a hailstorm of bullets. They pelted the table, leaving large dents but none were able to break through. I glanced toward Wrex and shook my head. This table won’t last long.

He nodded in agreement while reaching around his side. In his hand were a heavy pistol and a few thermal clips. Tossing them toward me, he tilted his head. I could hear his words echoing in my thoughts. Think we can take them?

In reply, I jumped up and sprayed the enemy with bullets. They were enough to significantly dent their shields, but not enough to penetrate. Luckily, Wrex’s shotgun picked two of them off. Now there were just three angry krogan to deal with. Unfortunately, the others ducked for cover, giving them amble time to regenerate their shields.

Ducking back down, I gestured to another table. “Run for it,” I whispered.

“No.” Wrex shook his head. “You don’t have any shields or armor. I’m not leaving you behind.” Before I could protest, he snagged my arm, dragging me behind him. He charged toward another table. I could feel the bullets whizzing past my head as the Blood Pack members took aim. I thanked God that I was wearing comfortable shoes. Running in high heels would have been murder on my feet.

We slid behind the other table. “Stay down,” Wrex growled. He stood up, firing from his shotgun. I could hear the blast ripping through tables and the dying screams of krogan. It sent shivers up my spine.

Finally, the shooting stopped. All was quiet except for a gurgling, gasping noise. It sounded like someone was drowning beneath the water. Or…a puddle of their own blood.

Wrex snarled while he stomped over to the other end of the restaurant. Though I did not want to, I followed a step behind. When my eyes laid sight on the dead krogan, I gulped. Their bodies were nothing more than a bloody pulp—torn to shreds by the blasts. Pools of blood made the floor slick.

I spotted Drek rolling on the floor. He was just barely alive—his guts spilled out of a gaping hole in his chest. Lifting his foot, Wrex placed his boot on Drek’s head. He aimed his shotgun at his captive’s face. “Who sent you?”

“I…don’t…know…” Drek sputtered.

Wrex’s foot pressed down a little harder, causing Drek to cry out in pain. “I’m not in the mood for games, Drek. Who sent the blood pack here?”

“Okeer…”

The name was faint, but made me cringe. Okeer was willing to go out of his way to hiring a gang to take us out. And all for a simple date. What else was he capable of? Not wanting to speculate, I shook the dark thoughts from my mind.

That was all Wrex needed. He removed his foot and finished Drek off with one shot. Then, he turned on his heels, flashing a smile. “Seems like we can’t go anywhere without ending up in a brawl,” he chuckled, scooting closer and wrapping his arm around my waist. “Not a bad way to start our first date.”

“Well,” I giggled, trying to mirror his chipper mood. “It was certainly entertaining.” My smile faded when I whispered, “What are you going to do about Okeer?”

“Don’t worry. I’ll take care of him as soon as I get back to Tuchunka. Right now, let’s find another restaurant to continue our date, shall we?”

“Yes.” I stepped over Drek’s body, being careful not to step on any blood. Wrex offered his hand which I happily accepted. “I’d love that.”

We rushed back to the transport. I could hear the police sirens from a distance. They were still a ways out: we would be long gone before they could catch up. I breathed a sigh of relief. Seeing those bodies began reminding me of too many gruesome memories. I was ready to be away from it all.

As we drove away, I glanced back for a brief moment. I bowed my head. “Rest in peace,” I whispered before turning back around.


	10. Proposal

The orange sun glowed bright, illuminating Tuchunka’s desert landscape with its evening glory. Vibrant reds and yellows and blues painted the sky in shades of beauty. When the wind blew, it kicked up the dust, causing the particles to dance in a mini vortex. There was a low rumbling as the ground shifted beneath my feet.

We stood before an ancient ruin amidst four krogan statues. Each had their hands raised and their heads tilted to the sky. Behind us was a staircase carved from stone. Tiny green plants had sprouted from the cracks in the steps, giving hope and life to a place none thought possible. Beyond the statues was a gorgeous canyon that was so deep it seemed bottomless. It was said to be dug by the great Kalros herself.

As breathtaking as the view was, I concentrated on none of that. My eyes were focused on Wrex standing before me. He wore ancient family armor that was painted red and gold with the Urdnot clan symbol carved on the front. In his hand was a tiny square box.

“Layla Shepard.” He cleared his throat, fidgeting with the box before kneeling down on one knee. His free hand grabbed mine, and for a moment everything went still. My heart fluttered as my smile broadened. “Will you marry me?” The box opened, revealing a glittering garnet stone encased in a silver band. He slipped the ring on my finger before I could say anything.

“Yes!” I replied. Wrapping my arms around him, I kissed his cheek. “I do!”

“Huh. We’ll that was easy. Nothing like the Blood Rose ritual.”

I blinked in surprise, pulling back from the hug. “Wrex?” I asked. “What’s the Blood Rose ritual?”

Shrugging, he said, “It’s nothing really. Just a long, grueling ceremony where we fight a horde of krogan challenging our right to union and your right to enter the clan. Then, if we survive, we’ll cut our hands and mix our blood together, smearing it on our faces. And then, we burn a rose to signify our strength and passion. Our shaman blesses the ceremony, and it’s over.”

“Do we have to?”

“If you want an authenticated krogan wedding and become a part of the clan and make sure no other krogan sleeps with you, then yes.”

Wrinkling my nose, I moaned. “Fine. I’ll do it.”

“At least we’re married by your specie standards.”

“Um…Wrex. We still have to have the wedding.”

There was a long pause as he pondered my words. “…What’s a wedding?”

“It’s a ceremony where we go to a church, walk up an aisle, stand in front of a priest, say our vows and eat cake afterwards.” My explanation caused him to wince and grumble.

“Sounds boring.”

“But you invite your closest friends and family and then you have a big reception where there’s a feast and alcohol…”

That seemed to brighten his mood. “Really?” he hummed, scratching his chin. “Maybe it’s worth it then.”

Leaning against him, I stared up at the sky. The colors were fading fast. Already stars were beginning to shimmer on the horizon. Their light grew stronger as the sun slipped beneath the desert mountains. A cold breeze sent a chill through me. I nestled under his arm, feeling the heat radiating from his body. The quiet was broken only by the occasional roar of varen or the chattering of a pyjack. 

I sighed, twisting the ring on my finger. “You know, this place isn’t so bad. It’s actually kind of beautiful.”

“It’s more deadly than beautiful, but you’ll learn that soon enough.” Turning around, he placed an arm over my shoulder, and kissed my forehead. “What do you say we go inside and celebrate our engagement?”

“I’d say that’s a great idea.” I nodded. We strolled back to the collapsed building clan Urdnot called home. My nerves tingled as we drew closer. Though Okeer was banished, I could not help but wonder if there were others who disapproved of our union. A krogan marrying a human was virtually unheard of. Having a weak human among the ranks would question the strength of the clan.

Then again, I did prove my resilience and fortitude in the heat of the Blue Suns battle. That earned some of their respect. They even dedicated a new ceremony to honor our heroics. But, I knew I would have to double my effort, or else they would never accept me.

Glancing up at Wrex put these thoughts at ease. His strength and skills were unmatched by any krogan in his clan. As long as we were together, we were untouchable. And I was ready to face the galaxy with him—whatever trails would come our way, we would conquer them.

Straightening out my back, I snuck one last backward glance at the sun before we entered. It seemed to give one final burst of golden light before disappearing. The moon—the vigilant guard of the night—came into view. It bathed the sand in silver light.

Wrex stopped, breaking me from my trance. I whirled back around to find we had already reached the door. He stepped forward and pushed the button. Swish! It opened up. My nose and eyes were bombarded with firelight and the smell of cooked varen. The thought that I was standing on the threshold of my future struck fear into my heart. Taking a deep breath to calm my trembling body, I adjusted my dress before retaking his arm.

“You ready to make the announcement?” he asked.

I lifted my chin, and said, “Yes.”


End file.
